Lead Fallout: Are Employees Taking The Blame?
There were staffing shakeups at the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency after the lead contamination crisis in Sebring became public. A couple people were fired. But were they just fall guys for managerial incompetence at the top?
In February, Ohio EPA Director Butler fired Ken Baughman, “the employee responsible for getting test results to Ohio EPA's field office near Sebring, and his supervisor, Julie Spangler. They also demoted another employee, whose name was not released,” The Columbus Dispatch reported.
Now Baughman is pushing back against that decision.
“Baughman has filed a grievance against the Ohio EPA, said Sally Meckling, spokeswoman for the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association, the union that represents state employees. A hearing is scheduled for April 14,” the report said.
Spangler is pushing back, as well.
“Spangler, who was recognized by the American Water Works Association in September for outstanding contributions to safe public-health practices and ensuring safe drinking water, is not represented by the union because she was a manager. She has filed an appeal of her firing with the Ohio Personnel Board of Reviews,” the report said.
Ohio EPA Spokesperson Heidi Griesmer told WFMJ: "The employees have a right to due process and the EPA will participate in its role."
Ohio has undergone a significant lead scare in Sebring. “It all started after levels of lead were found in seven homes tested. Tests showed lead levels at 21 parts per billion in some homes according to a spokeswoman for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency,” Fox 8 reported.
Officials and the public have called for accountability after the Flint and Sebring crises. Accountability may look different in Michigan and Ohio since the circumstances of the crises were different.
“Responsibility for the Flint crisis points toward the Michigan governor's office. A public official appointed by the governor made the switch to lead-tainted water to save money. In Sebring, local officials and the Ohio EPA share the blame. While Kasich oversees the Ohio EPA, the governor was not directly involved,” Cleveland.com reported.
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Image credit: "Gavel & Stryker," KeithBurtis © 2008, used under an Attribution 2.0 Generic